RobertWalpole, 1st Earl of Orford was born on 26 August 1676.1 He was the son of RobertWalpole and MaryBurwell. He married, firstly, CatherineShorter, daughter of JohnShorter and ElizabethPhilipps, on 30 July 1700.1 He married, secondly, MariaSkerret, daughter of ThomasSkerret, before 3 March 1737/38, previously his mistress.1 He died on 18 March 1745 at age 68. He was Member of Parliament (M.P.) Castle Rising and King's Lynn 1702–42, memb Cncl Lord High Admiral 1705–08, Sec at War 1708–10, Treasurer Navy 1710–11, Paymaster Forces 1714–15 and 1720–21, Chllr Exchequer 1715–17 and 1721–Feb 1741/2 and 1st Lord Trea in 1701.1 He was Privy Counsellor (P.C.) in 1714.1 He held the office of Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury between 4 April 1721 and 11 February 1742.3 He was Knight, Order of the Bath (K.B.) in 1725.1 He was Knight, Order of the Garter (K.G.) in 1726.1 He was educated in 1728 Eton and King's College Cambridge (LLD ).1 He was created 1st Earl of Orford [Great Britain] on 6 February 1742.4 He was created 1st Viscount Walpole [Great Britain] on 6 February 1742.4 He was created 1st Baron of Houghton [Great Britain] on 6 February 1742.4

[S2] Peter W. Hammond, editor, The Complete Peerage or a History of the House of Lords and All its Members From the Earliest Times, Volume XIV: Addenda & Corrigenda (Stroud, Gloucestershire, U.K.: Sutton Publishing, 1998), page 117. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage, Volume XIV.